Is John McCain Really Our Friend?

My day began with Ben Bernanke putting the American public to sleep with his woolly explanation of the financial "rescue" package. I tried to understand his logic but with my 401(k) halving then quartering, my concentration was hardly the best. George W. Bush performed the coup de grace on the Dow and the NASDAQ, making it clear to me that my husband and I would be working well into our nineties. What excellent preparation for the Obama/McCain debate!

Why are these debates so incredibly boring? Is it the questions framed by committee? Is it Tom Brokaw trying to exude gravitas? Is it John McCain telling us constantly he is our friend while he grimaces in a way that is friendly to no one? Or is it Barack Obama keeping his cool despite all the idiotic lies and provocations?

My admiration for Obama has grown. Not only for his lucid intelligence, his excellent preparation, his understanding that eight years of deregulatin' dudes (as Sarah Palin might put it) has accelerated this financial mess, but also his amazing ability not to grunt, sigh or punch his opponent. When McCain lies with a straight face and pretends he has never had anything to do with the GOP, I'd slug him. But Obama is a prince among debaters. He just smiles elegantly and awaits his chance for a reasonable response. His calm blows me away. I'd hate to debate him. I'd be raising my voice and tearing my hair (as we did at Jewish dinner tables on the Upper West Side when I was a kid) but he'd be cool as the proverbial cucumber. He will make a great president. His temperament is superb.

McCain looks old and ill to me. He seems to have no circulation under his papery white skin. He always looks like he is suppressing a fart. He has no cool at all. Even though he tried to correct his curmudgeonly reputation tonight, he was unconvincing. It seemed as if he had taken a Valium and it was wearing off. I wouldn't trust him to look into Vladimir Putin's eyes anymore than I trusted George W. Bush. He's the bomb-bomb King, no question. Erratic and rageful, condescending and insincere, he seemed to be auditioning to play Simon Legree in an antebellum bodice ripper.

And why did he run from the stage while Michelle Obama and Barack greeted the folks? Was he afraid of retribution? Or possibly a hair transplant?

Or maybe I just mistrust men with comb-overs.

Read more reactions to the Obama-McCain Town Hall Debate from HuffPost bloggers

Comments

[qperry]

No John is only a really true friend of the rich and powerful!!! Poor Cindy, I hope she has put all of her inherited money to good use.

[mssisyphus]

He is used to his town hall meetings being filled with Republican's, not a diverse crowd, and besides, I would not really even call that a true town hall meeting, The questions seemed choreographed and far too scripted.

I agree that John McCain seemed like a little ole man shuffling around and smirking and Obama was indeed calm cool and collected.

Also, I don't believe that all those people were truly undecided, but simply wanted to be part of the audience.

[larry278]

Y didn't McCain try the speakeasy hostess welcome, "Hello suckers.". He could get enough in tips to pay his campaign debts. Since the melt-down, he ain't gonna be elected.

[lisakaz2]

The line about Mc-same's "suppression" was hillarious. Thank you. Also, thank you for recognizing what us early O supporters liked about him. It's his temperment, his gravitas, his determination -- perhaps it could be called patience, too. I'd have no patience, either. But to solve the huge problems America faces, we need someone with his temperment in order to make progress. BTW the lies would push my buttons in ways I thought only my mother was capable of doing (no one knows how to push me over the edge of sanity like she does).

[drowningInDebt]

This is what I hear when I hear and see John McCain speaking at a John McCain/Sarah Palin town hall.
My friends, my white friends in my white audience, except you my black bodyguards, you can disreguard what i say, this doesn't concern you. My white friends, in my white audience, you don't have to be scared about that one, that other person, the one I can't even call a man. That person i'm running against, the one that's not a human being, the one i refer to as a person.

It is so degrading to me when he refers to Obama as a person and not as a man. And why aren't african american and other minorities upset that there are not ANY minorities in the audiences at their town halls? I don't see how they stand for American's when they only stand for white Americans.

[rj121046]

I too wondered why McCain and wife Cindy beat a quick retreat. It sure stood out as you looked at the screen and saw the democratic candidate and his wife mingling with the crowd. After all it was a town hall meeting ,and once again an example of the republican party and how much they are out of touch with Main Street.

[dkerrice2861]

Did anyone else notice how Cindy Mc kept her distance, not even shaking hands with a single person in the audience? JM could not wait to get out of there! He was not among his republican base in this town hall meeting, so naturally he felt out of place! He does not represent all Americans and definitely does not represent unification!!!

[lisakaz2]

And wasn't the debate in Nashville, where Mc-Same should expect some friends (TN typically being a red state)? I don't get it either.

[floridagatorfan1]

after this election mccain ain't gonna have ANY friends.

[Dexhu]

I do not think he is out friend! Or even cares about the average person! he has voted almost all the time against people and even the military people he claims to support(see GI Bill)! he always finds a lane excuse to vote against some things for the people!

[Heyogirl]

I'm glad somebody else out there is squirming every time McCain refers to "my friends". As a person who deeply respects "friendship" and knows the difference between friends and associates, I am truly offended by McCain's inclusion of "anybody and everybody" into his definition of friendship. It comes across as totally insincere, false, politicized, and shallow.

I am NOT his friend--not only because I find him insincere and shallow, but because in the real world that I live in, he would not be invited to my barbeque. (Neither would Sarah Palin because she is not the type of personality I would ever consider a "friend" with whom I could share that deep and very special relationship with). Neither lives in my world--and to be perfectly honest, they wouldn't be welcomed--perhaps as associates (people we know), but never as friends (people who we truly care about and who care about us).

It sickens me every time I hear it....

[dkerrice2861]

WARNING!!! "My friends" is short for "My Republican base"! So when he utters those words, we know who his "friends" really are!

[radical1]

What we saw, also, was a very inept candidate for any office or position, much less Presidency. Be it mental or physical well being, we must protest loudly and express our opinion with our vote.

I have another worthy cause. I received an e-mail calling for a protest of ABC from October 13th through the 17th due to Ultra Conservative Elisabeth of "The View" who admits that she campaigns for McCain, gave a speech at the Repub. Convention and almost daily instigates heated arguments with the other hosts, including Barbara Walters. On the show, she issues hateful slams & lies against Obama and argues heatedly in favor of McCain. This is no longer a peaceful morning show for relaxing with our coffee, and we ask that thousand of you tell ABC you will also protest.

[Outdoorsman]

Subject: Rome is burning, put out the fire.* Would someone please tell me what is so hard or difficult about having our elected Politicians do the right thing for the good of our Country and its people?* Why have our elected Politicians ignored, denied, subverted, destroyed, violated, compromised, our Trust, Respect, and Confidence that we placed in them to do the right thing for our Country and its people?* The result is that this Nation's Foundational Principals based on the Ideology of Liberty are now in danger of extinction.* " When is enough going to be enough?" At what point do we say " NO More?" " The people are the Masters of both Congress and the Courts, not to overthrow the Constitution, but to overthrow the men who would pervert it." > Abraham Lincoln.*... " Dissent is the highest form of Patriotism.".> Thomas Jefferson... The Founding Fathers knew the importance of protecting themselves from Governments who get out of hand.*...

[rnadna]

Here's my take. All McCains' Money, his wife's money, his family connections, his POW experience, all his years in the Senate, the GOP slime machine, even his supposed "entitledment", cannot get him elected President! And he's Mad!

Mad that this young, African-American upstart is going to steal his chances of becoming President.

You can see in McCains' arrogance and condencending attitude that he truly dispises and hates Obama. In his mind McCain simply cannot accept the fact that this up-start will steal his chances of being elected president. McCain really thought he had this in the bag. Well so much for old bags!

[DMcD]

I for one, resent his condescending habit of referring to all of us as "my friends" --- I'll pick my own friends thankyou (and you're no friend of mine).
Each time I see (and hear) this guy , he reminds me more and more of Elmer Fudd.

[BlueZoo]

Bravo, Erica!

[GingersPawPaws]

LOL..I want to see that got the link?